The 2009 outbreak of influenza A (H1N1) virus is an epidemic of a new strain of influenza virus that was clinically identified in April 2009,[47] and is commonly referred to as swine flu.[48] It is currently a Phase 5 outbreak, one level below an official pandemic.

Although the exact origin of the outbreak is unknown, it was first detected when officials in Mexico and the United States suspected a link between an outbreak of late-season flu cases in Mexico and cases of influenza in Texas and California.[49] Within days, hundreds more suspected cases were discovered in Mexico, with more cases also showing up in the U.S. and several other countries. By late April, officials from the U.N.'s World Health Organization (WHO), based in Switzerland, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the U.S., were expressing serious concern about the flu outbreak, worried that it might become a worldwide flu pandemic.[50] As a result, WHO raised its alert level to "Phase 5" out of 6 possible, which it defines as a "signal that a pandemic is imminent".[51] By the end of April, 2009 government across the world had taken emergency measures to slow the transmission of a possible pandemic.[52] At the same time, however, many scientists were reaching a consensus that the epidemic was so far "relatively mild," and believed that it could be less fatal than previous pandemics.[53]

The new strain is an apparent reassortment of four strains of influenza A virus subtype H1N1.[54] Analysis by the CDC identified the four component strains as one endemic in humans, one endemic in birds, and two endemic in pigs (swine).[54] However, other scientists have stated that analysis of the 2009 swine flu (A/H1N1) viral genome suggests that all RNA segments are of swine origin.[55] and "this preliminary analysis suggests at least two swine ancestors to the current H1N1, one of them related to the triple reassortant viruses isolated in North America in 1998."[56] One swine strain was widespread in the United States, the other in Eurasia.[54]

Worldwide the common human H1N1 influenza virus affects millions of people every year, according to WHO officials, and "these annual epidemics result in about three to five million cases of severe illness, and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths" annually.[57] In industrialized countries most of these annual deaths occur in people aged 65 or older.[57] By May 2, some pigs in Canada were diagnosed with H1N1.[58] Although some influenza strains can spread between species, the influenza virus is killed by normal cooking procedures, so there is no risk of infection from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products.[59]

Mike was right. You have no clue. I want you to know. I will help you. Go to University of Georgia. He will show you about outbreak. Show you on TV or picture? Talk about swine flu. Not mexican swine flu. You want to know? Please go to University of Georgia. You had to?

Who up to 2 billion people might get swine flu. Sheila Tolley is wrong. Not mexican swine flu. Call it Swine flu. H1N1 (bird flu and pig flu).

Who alert phases.

Phase 1
No animal influenza virus circulating among animals have been reported to cause infection in humans.

Phase 2
An animal influenza virus circulating in domesticated or wild animals is known to have caused infection in humans and is therefore considered a specific potential pandemic threat.

Phase 3
An animal or human-animal influenza reassortant virus has caused sporadic cases or small clusters of disease in people, but has not resulted in human-to-human transmission sufficient to sustain community-level outbreaks.

Phase 4
Human to human transmission of an animal or human-animal influenza reassortant virus able to sustain community-level outbreaks has been verified.

Phase 5
The same identified virus has caused sustained community level outbreaks in two or more countries in one WHO region.

Phase 6
In addition to the criteria defined in Phase 5, the same virus has caused sustained community level outbreaks in at least one other country in another WHO region.

Aside from the plethora of ridiculous information, nice job plagiarizing the brilliant George Carlin. I'm sure he's rolling over in his grave.

"I don't like words that hide the truth. I don't like words that conceal reality. I don't like euphemisms or euphemistic language. And American English is loaded with euphemisms. Because Americans have a lot of trouble dealing with reality. Americans have trouble facing the truth. So they invent a kind of a soft language to protect themselves from it. . . .

"The CIA doesn't kill anybody anymore. They neutralize people. Or they depopulate the area. The government doesn't lie. It engages in misinformation. The Pentagon actually measures radiation in something they call sunshine units. . . .